I am not actually sure when this post will be up. I am not on-line that

I am aware of, but I’ve hit the publish button. I guess next time

we’re at a hot spot this post will appear on-line.

At any rate, if you’re reading this it means we are finally in India.

28 December 2008

City lights beneath us, it’s about midnight, touching down in Bangalore in

about 15 minutes. Immigration, baggage claim, then a 2 or so hour drive

to where we’re staying. So I figure we’ll be there by about 3 am.

Even though the flight was as

comfortable as they come,

it comes as no surprise that

we look and feel

like zombies. Punky hair, bloodshot

eyes, dark under eye circles,

swollen feet, you name it.

But, as Kiran has most likely guessed,

as soon as I am awake I am going to

the beauty parlor.

Yes, this is us, about sixty hours

after leaving home,

and half an hour away

from landing in the motherland of India.

29 Dec 2008, 7:50 pm

We got to the ashram around 5:30 am. An “ashram” is a Hindu religious

retreat, for the lack of a better definition. It’s a modest but beautiful and

very spiritual environment. I’ll try and post up some pictures with this post,

just need to ask the people here if it’s OK with them.

As soon as we landed, all I could think of was how happy I was to finally be

here. Yes, people, I LOVE India. I love the whole region, I am also very fond

of Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Just knowing that we’re here makes me so happy.

I have missed the constant horn-honking, the

scents, the chants, the food, the craziness,

everything.

I have to take a minute here and promote the new

Bangalore airport -- it is awesome!!! As much as I

love authenticity I have to admit I wasn’t a huge fan of

the old airport, especially on arrival where

immigration lines resembled a bowl of spaghetti and

the luggage claim area resembled... what did the luggage claim area resemble?

Mac and cheese?

The new airport is nice and modern, the only thing is it’s almost an hour from

Bangalore.

A gentleman named Dr. Kumar was sent to pick us up at the airport.

He’s a forensic medical scientist. It came as a relief to know that had we

been killed on the road, our bodies would’ve been in great hands. Dr.

Kumar’s driver drives what’s called an

Ambassador, which is a old HM, a really

really old car. It looks museum like and and

it’s got the horse power of a lawn mower.

In a way I love Ambassadors and if and when

we ever live here for a while I think I am

going to have an Ambassador.

After a couple of tea stops on the way, we got here to the

Foot Step Hill by about 5 am. I remember Geoff saying something about

something, then the next thing I knew it was noon and we were waking up.

First things first, I went to have my hair washed and blow dried, then Geoff and I checked out some of our favorite places, such as the Hotel Southern Star and the Green Hotel. We haven’t hired a driver yet so we’ve been using tuk-tuks or as they call them here ‘autos’. You gotta love tuk-tuks!

The guesthouse of the ashram (where we’re staying) reminds me of the Green Hotel which is one of my favorite hotels. Very modest but lovely, awesome gardens and authentic landscapes.

I think it is very good for any of us westerners to be away from our

materialistic lives and be without much luxury, TV, cell phones, PDAs, etc. for

a little while. Of course I am being very smart typing this wisdom on my

state-of-the-art MacBook but you get the idea.

It’s a bit hard to explain, but it was so satisfying getting cleaned up

pouring buckets full of hot water on my body that for a minute I couldn’t

really understand why on earth Geoff and I have 4 bathrooms in our house

back home when we’re the only two people living there.

Well, be as it may, I am sure that I am not going to be posting daily, not

only because we don’t have internet, but we’re going to be working on

our program for the next few days. (We’re here doing a Human Right

presentation.)

Here are some photos of where we’re staying & our favorite breakfast place:

The last photo is the actual guest house, the building we’re in. Lovely, isn’t it?

30 December 2008, 4:20 am

I don’t want to wake up Geoff but I can’t sleep so I am going to update

once again. You would think not much has happened since I updated just

before going to bed.

Well, I woke up because of a combination of jet leg, people talking under

our window and because I am so hungry. I am eating the cheese and crackers

I told Geoff not to stock up on at the airport lounge in Paris. So glad he

didn’t listen, the guy is a genius I tell you. I also have a can of coke I

bought earlier when we were in town. Plus there’s a bag of chips but I am

worried that fiddling with the bag would wake Geoff. Feels a bit odd to be

eating delicious French gourmet cheese and crackers in the dark and drinking

a coke in the middle of this spiritual paradise. The-bull-in-the-china-shop is

the expression that comes to mind. Thank goodness I don’t smoke. Truth is

if our kettle was working I’d be drinking coffee now. In fact I’ve been

hearing some commotion out there so I think I’m gonna put on a

sweater, wander over to the galley and see if I can score a cup of coffee.

Then sit and watch the sun rise while my husband’s getting his beauty

sleep. Soon they’re gonna start their crack-of-dawn chants, which are

quite beautiful. Geoff just awoke too. I am gonna open the bag of chips

now, then go over to the galley.

***

I got my coffee and brought some back for Geoff too. Hope I am not

boring you with all these pictures but I just love the galley:

That’s the cook making coffee for us. I bet it’s different than how you had

your coffee made this morning. Last night Geoff asked him for a cup of hot

water and he brought us a gallon of luke warm water, a pot of curd

(Indian yoghurt) and a huge pot of rice enough to feed a family of 10.

Comments

Enjoyed reading the whole lot:-))......brought back a lot of memories.....especially of the ambassador[at one time the only status symbol around but now no Indian wants to be seen in one], autos[I usually get carsick, airsick every vehiclesick but autos are an exception:-)], food on the leaf[it is called the onam sadya....onam a festival celebrated by Keralites sometime during september, we all wear off white clothes with gold border & sit on the floor to eat this delicious feast off the banana leaf....we do it even now]

I've read the whole post atleast twice now & seen all the pics....where exactly have u hidden the tacky bit I want to know....seriously u've recovered it really well, dont even think of deleting it:-o

I loved it.....esp those pics of Geoff & U under the heading "Atlanta"....oh those expressions, esp of u in the middle & the last picture.....they are priceless:-D

Hi Agnes,
This is Shashank from North India,i have read about your visit to India (South India).
My Country is a grooming ground for multifarious cultures ,culture changes not from region to region but from place to place & from village to village.
U might have visited many places around the world,which are ultimate in providing luxuries.
My country,the only country which is ultimate in providing peace of mind & of inner self & can establish your link with the ultimate GOD.
you will find lots n lots of ashrams but not all will provide you about the ultimate truth.
we do not talk about hinduism,buddhism,christanity,sikkhism,etc;we talk about our association with the ultimate GOD.
The reality is beyond imagination & only few, 4-5 people on this earth knows.They have established the direct contact with the supreme being.
keep in touch

OMG..........i was so amazed by the whole trip......love the fact that you loved India.....agree that many westerners come to India to leave or take a break from the materialistic life.....

So you work from the human rights .....nice....think there's a lot of exploitation of same in India.....

yea, the new Banglore, sorry they call it Bengaluru now.....hey BTW....i'm living in Bengaluru for past 6 months....cause of job....but love it here.....and the Tuk TUk....well not that exciting.....for me.....cause of the traffic jams cause of them....but it's good for people visiting here......

My fav part of the whole trip description was the end.....i meant no honking....no cattles or three wheels....

you are good writer....i felt like going through the whole trip .......now this is one...page i'm visiting everyday.....

I'm hoping to see spots where the Buddha travelled and have a lot of reading to do before my little pilgrimage. It's a spiritual adventure, but one I hope to squeeze in a lot of fun and lots memories for stories to tell later over chai tea and curry and rice.

This was a second trip for you? Must be nice to be so close and make time for this. Wish I still had my "Nehru" jacket from the 60s.

What, you never heard of them? I'm sorry. That's before your time. It was all the rage here in the States when I was growing up. A suit jacket without a collar buttoning up to the neck.

The Beatles may have knocked it off the market when they came in with their "long" hair and skinny lapels on their jackets.

Happy New Year this time around. 2010. Let's hope we talk India this time again next year.

Landed here thru Zhu's blogroll I think. Me being an Indian, its interesting to know that you like to come here again n again inspite of honking/ manouvering/ cattle on the road/ etc etc! What brings you here ? and if you could give the name of the ashram near bangalore pls? Was it Sri Sri's place ?

@ Raji, hi. It's hard for me to describe what I like about India. Every country is different in its own way and what you look for is what you'll find I guess. What keeps me coming back is work (non-profit) and my love for the country. We were staying at the JSS ashram that particular trip. Where in India are you from?

I left a comment asking you about the ashram and kept checking my mail for reply. Today it clicked to see the same post to see whether you have replied here and yes!
Thanks but if you could reply thru email pls next time, it wud be easier. Tho I have subscribed to your posts and see them as soon as i get alerts.

I was born n brought up in Rajasthan but now based in Gurgaon (south of Delhi).
Will google about JSS Ashram.
Have been looking for a purpose to live. Too much of 9-to-6 routine jobs. Lets see.
Thanks
Raji

hey...
dont even know how I found myself on your blog.. but was pleasantly surprised to see a 'Last India Trip' post! Being an Indian, I have no misconceptions bout pros and cons of our country, but its home and I love it despite its many flaws. so it was really nice to see you appreciate the small things that most tourists would look down on.

If you can get yourself to look beyond the rural feel, and lack of proper development in a new country.. I think you coining yourself as a world traveller is bang on! :)

PS. You should also consider giving some of our major cities a try next time.. we're not all about elephants and snake charmers, you know! :)